The Campus North Residential Commons, located at the north edge of the University of Chicago's campus in the Windy City's Hyde Park section, is meant to create a “gateway” for students and the community alike. Image: Tom Harris Photography/courtesy of the University of Chicago

The lobby of Jackson National Life Insurance’s headquarters in Lansing, Mich., features a prominent stairwell that encourages occupants to take extra steps instead of using the elevator. Active design tactics like grand staircases are central to any wellness program. The renovation and 230,000-sf expansion of this building included a fitness center flooded with daylight, a green roof, and designated wetlands and extensive woodlands surrounding the site. Photo courtesy of Gresham Smith & Partners.